In an interview with CBS News on Wednesday, former Vice President Mike Pence stated that he did not agree with Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley’s call for all politicians to have to take a mental competency test if they are above a certain age.
As Pence told political correspondent Caitlin Huey-Burns, he believed that the U.S. people were more than capable enough of choosing the right candidate and that they can “sort that out.” He added that the history of the country proves that the American people have “wisdom and common sense and judgment.”
Last month, Haley became the first major Republican to challenge former President Donald Trump in the Republican primary. Following her campaign launch she made national news after she called for all politicians over the age of 75 to have to take a mandatory “mental competency test.”
Her comments have been criticized by many political figures including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who claimed that Haley’s push for a competency test was “absurd.”
Pence was also asked whether he believed President Biden was mentally and physically capable of serving in the White House. In response, Pence said that the problems he had with Biden were completely related to his administration’s failed policies, the border crisis, and inflation. He further noted that in his view the current administration had “weakened America’s place in the world.” It is widely speculated that Pence is considering placing a bid for the White House himself in 2024.
